Kuala Lumpur: Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah in his role as chancellor of Universiti Malaya (UM), presented awards to university staff and corporate partners at the 2024 UM Excellence Awards (ACUM) today. His Royal Highness arrived at the ceremony at 2.30 pm and was received by UM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, among the top honours presented were the UM Academic Icon Award, the High-Impact Contributor Award (Organisation), and the Special High-Impact Contributor Award (Individual). Additional categories included the Strategic Thinker Partner Award, Research Corporate Partner Award, and the UM Medical Centre (PPUM) Corporate Partner Award.

Earlier in his remarks, Noor Azuan stated that the annual awards aim to recognise individuals and organisations that have shown commitment, integrity, and contribution, thereby strengthening the university’s standing. He noted, “This year’s 14th edition is especially significant as, for the first time, PPUM is among the recipients, reinforcing collaboration across departments.”

A total of 45 categories were awarded to 59 recipients, including individuals, research centres, and corporate bodies. The university’s highest accolade was awarded to Professor Dr Stefanie Shamila Pillai of the English Language Department, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, for her work documenting and archiving Melaka Portuguese, an endangered language in Malaysia. Her project is part of the Endangered Languages Archive under the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme.

Noor Azuan also highlighted UM’s research achievements, noting that the university secured RM163.37 million in grants last year, marking a 42 per cent increase from 2023, which reflects growing confidence in its research capabilities. In 2024, UM researchers produced 4,325 publications, a 15 per cent increase from 3,749 the previous year.